My Own Personal Salmon Bite (Of Heaven)

This is one of my favorite bites. It’s fancy and it looks really amazing. I usually keep it for the big occasions and the special people. Salmon is such a sexy fish. Yes, you read me well: sexy!!! It’s my favorite ‘accessible’ fish (Bar and Black Cod being my ultimate favorites… but they are extremely expensive fish so I try to stay away from them!). I like salmon especially when it’s raw. Because it’s a fat fish, it melts in your mouth when you eat it raw. These days I can’t indulge on one of my favorite dishes, tartar (my pregnant self not allowing it), so I cheat by eating tiny pieces of the raw flesh I love so much! Of course, if you eat your fish raw, it has to be really fresh (or just unfrozen… but that doesn’t sound too sexy!).

I usually make this as a first course, in a larger size, which you could too. But this time, I decided to make it into bite size little gems. A Montreal Japanese chef, who makes a similar salad, inspired me for this recipe. I tried to interpret what he made and gave it my own personal twist. I highly recommend that you try to make this if you’re looking to impress someone. It never fails!

JAPANESE SALMON SASHIMI BITE

Makes 12 bites

 

INGREDIENTS

100 g fresh salmon, thinly sliced (more if you make it as a full dish)

12 thin slices of English cucumber, skin on

2 tbsp salmon roe

1 green apple, skin only, thinly sliced

12 Shiso leaves (optional)

Black sesame for decoration

Japanese Vinaigrette

1 shallot, thinly diced

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp Japanese mustard powder (or English mustard powder)

Black pepper

4 tsp water

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

PREPARATION

Thinly dice the shallot. In a mixing bowl, mix together the shallot, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, mustard powder, pepper and water. When the sugar has dissolved, mix in the sesame and grapeseed oils.

Note: This dressing tastes even better if you make it a day ahead.

You can find Shiso leaves at an asian market or a Japanese specialized store. Here in Montreal you can find them at Miyamoto on Victoria in Westmount. 

FOR SERVING

In a small plate, lay a shiso leaf, a cucumber slice and a salmon slice. Top it with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Finish it off with a few apple skin slices, salmon row and black sesame. Indulge!